All Students Literate—Opening Doors for Every Learner in Shoreline Schools
Shoreline School District is making early literacy a districtwide priority. In this short video, you’ll learn how we’re helping every child build a strong foundation in reading — and why that foundation matters.
Why Literacy Matters
Reading is the key to learning, independence, and opportunity. As literacy advocate Kareem Weaver has said: “What good is winning the right to vote if you can’t read the ballot?”
That simple idea captures our urgency: literacy is civic access, personal agency, and the pathway to future success.
How Shoreline Teaches Literacy
Our approach is grounded in the science of reading—a broad body of research that informs how reading develops and how best to teach it. Research is clear that the following components are essential:
- Phonemic awareness: hearing and manipulating the sounds in words
- Phonics: connecting letters to sounds and patterns
- Fluency: reading with speed, accuracy, and expression
- Vocabulary: knowing words and how they’re used
- Comprehension: understanding and thinking about text
Teachers receive ongoing professional learning so instruction is explicit, systematic, and matched to each student’s needs. The result: stronger beginnings that lead to lifelong reading.
Our Goal
The first pillar of Shoreline’s Strategic Plan is All Students Literate.
We’ve set a clear, measurable target: By spring 2029, 85% of Shoreline’s 5th and 8th graders will read at grade level.
Meet the Team
In the video, K–5 Literacy Specialist Rachel Trudelle explains why early, evidence-based instruction changes outcomes for children. You’ll also see teachers collaborating and students engaged in reading activities that build skills and confidence.
Reading opens doors to knowledge, to communication, and to opportunity. When every student can read, every student can thrive.
Learn more about how we are empowering students with the work/life skills to achieve their potential in our strategic plan, Envision Shoreline.